turbo

Here’s a rare find. A 1984 Toyota Camry turbo diesel with only 133K miles on the clock. It recently sold for three grand on eBay.

This Camry comes equipped with a 1.8 liter turbo diesel engine making a whopping 74 hp.

That should be enough power to lug around four adults and a suitcase. But it only weighs 2300 lbs so that should make up for the lack of horsepower.

The car looks outdated because it’s twenty eight years old. But considering its old age it appears to be in decent condition.

The turbo diesel coupled with a manual transmission is what caught my attention. You usually see this engine/transmission combo in a pickup truck or a commercial vehicle. Rarely do you see it in a passenger car.

When I think of minivans I picture the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna. I picture soccer moms taking their kids to school and to the mall. I picture plush leather seats, a full entertainment system and an ultra smooth ride.

I picture it to be everything but a performance machine.

Did you know there was once a minivan that came with a turbocharger and a 5 speed manual transmission straight from the factory?

Yes, it’s called the Dodge Caravan turbo and it’s the ultimate sleeper.